Post by messenger on Aug 6, 2004 7:20:18 GMT -5
Ziggy Marley takes a break from famous siblings to make an album
Oldest son of a reggae legend discusses politics, songwriting, media culture and the soul of hip-hop music.
Ziggy Marley, Stephen and Julian Marley, Damien Jr. Gong Marley, Toots and the Maytals, and Slightly Stoopid. 6p.m. Saturday. Harbor Center, 901 Crawford St. , Portsmouth. $30. Ticketmaster.
BY NOAH ISACKSON/CHICAGO TRIBUNE
August 6, 2004
After winning three Grammys singing with his siblings, Ziggy Marley, the eldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley has gone solo with his new album "Dragonfly."
Why play without your brothers and sisters?
We kind of took a break, you know, we took a break for a little bit. Everyone was doing other things at the time of "Dragonfly" and during that time I started doing some songs and wanted to put out some music.
Do you think of yourself as a political singer?
Not really, no, because I don't read the newspaper and find out the latest political issue and write a song about it. I write what I feel; sometimes it's political. I'm not a political guy. I write about what I feel as a musician.
Any thoughts on the coup in Haiti?
Haiti has always been a very volatile place. I'm not a fighter, I don't agree with the violence. The people down there want to make a change and feel that is the way they need to do it.
Where is reggae going? Is rap too much of an influence?
I like hip-hop music. To me, it's reggae music; it's the same tempo and basically all that's missing is the reggae guitar. What I criticize is the media and the music they promote to the youth - when they promote violence instead of love, or a sexual thing instead of a spiritual thing. It all has to do with money, whatever makes money, they push it. It's easier to see Janet Jackson showing her boob, or Britney kissing Madonna, than it is to find music with a spiritual message, music that is good for you. Understand?
What changes would you like to see?
A more open-ended format for radio and television. The format of both is too controlled. Let's let people have a wider choice. Instead of all the sexual and violent things, instead of all the bling bling, let's have some music about spirituality, about loving each other, about peace. I had a video, they never played it. Why? Because it's not hip. All the stations want is a video that says, "Baby let's have sex," or "I have a Mercedes-Benz." Artists like me don't have the same access to the people through media. I don't think it's going to change. But that don't mean I'm going to stop doing what I'm doing. It's important that artists who do things for the art of it, persevere. The thing is, 20 or 30 years from now, the music that will still mean something will not be from Britney Spears. It don't really mean nothing now and it won't mean nothing 30 or some years from now.
I wish that I could hear him speak. I have Dragonfly so I know what he sounds like singing, and his words are so relaxing and sincere. We need more reggae music stations!